In this issue
3 Winston-Salem State University
unveils master plan for major
$556 million expansion
4 Time-saving changes for North
Carolina general contractors
6 NEW TECHNOLOGIES:
How will they redefine the
architectural, engineering and
construction community?
9 NCDOT signs contract for
new Charlotte railway
station as major development
gets under way
10 NC masonry students sweep
national SkillsUSA competition
as others win state-level
recognition 12 Bonding challenges
The General Agreement of Indemnity (GAI):
A Surety’s Best Friend,
A Contractor’s Worst Enemy
Are public payment bond rights assignable
under North Carolina law? Maybe.
15 17
PROJECTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATION NEWS
Publisher’s Viewpoint
Mark Buckshon, publisher
Years ago, when I was much younger, I had the op-
portunity to interview a man in his mid-seventies who
had survived the World War II Holocaust in Hungary
when he was (with several thousand others) saved by
the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg. My task was to
develop a public relations strategy for the commemora-
tion of a new park in Wallenberg’s name, and the elderly
man proved to be the perfect example for what is
known in the business as a “media hook”. Suddenly, a
long-distant and foreign heroic event had a real-life local
story behind it, and (as I hoped) the story had legs.
Local newspapers, radio and TV turned a minor park
dedication into a major event.
But to me, the story about the person Wallenberg
saved – a man named Andrew Fedor – was more about
someone who had no intention to age into obscurity.
His home was outfitted with then-state-of-the-art com-
puterized typesetting equipment; and he was operating
a service business you would more likely think someone
in his 20s, rather than 70s, would be managing.
I thought about these attitudes as I attended the
Tech+ Conference in New York City this spring and ab-
sorbed all I could about the impact of changing tech-
nologies on the architectural, engineering and
construction industry. I had just officially become a sen-
ior citizen - though not quite as old as Fedor – and real-
ized that I have no intention to be left behind as
technology advances.
The question for you is, are you prepared for the
rapid changes about to affect the industry – that will
probably radically upset traditional supply chains and
business practices?
There’s one bit of good news if you are less than
eager to face the changes. You don’t need to give up all
of the old to embrace the new. I expect the approaches
I would have used in seeking publicity back in the early
1980s would be the same in 2018. These include uncov-
ering a relevant local story, making it meaningful in the
community, and putting a real person in front of the
cameras (or, these days, on a live Internet feed.)
Accordingly, I welcome your stories, news and
comments. You can reach me most easily by email at
buckshon@ncconstructionnews.com. Mark Buckshon is president of the Construction
News and Report Group, which publishes North Carolina
Construction News. He also publishes a daily blog at
www.constructionmarketingideas.com. North Carolina Construction News (NCCN) is distributed
throughout the Carolinas construction industry.
For information contact:
Chase, Phone: 1-888-627-8717 ext 212
chase@ncconstructionnews.com www.ncconstructionnews.com. ISSN 1940-3682.
2 — Summer 2018 — The North Carolina Construction News
NCCN is circulated on a controlled circulation list to qualified
readers including members of most major construction asso-
ciations in the Carolinas. The magazine is supplemented
by a weekly e-letter which reaches more than 4,000 industry
leaders each week.
Winston-Salem State University
unveils master plan for major
$556 million expansion
North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has unveiled a
new master plan for its 117-acre campus.
The master plan proposes 1.35-million sq. ft. of new
construction. It includes four new academic buildings, ren-
ovation and expansion of Hall Patterson, R.J. Reynolds
Center, Hauser Hall of Music and the Physical Plant, con-
struction of two new residence halls and an expansion of
Atkins and Martin-Schexnider residence halls.
The plan also includes a 6,000-seat football stadium, a
3,000-seat convocation center, and two multi-tiered park-
ing garages that would support sustainable energy with
rooftop solar panels and create more than 1,200 parking
spaces. In addition, the university will build a new student suc-
cess center and a renovated library with a new café and
social space spilling out to the Pegram Green.
The plan, which was unanimously approved by the
board of trustees, was presented by Sasaki Associates.
The plan projects future construction totaling $556 million.
“The master plan for Winston-Salem State University’s
117-acre campus will provide a roadmap for strategic
long-term growth over the next 20 years,” Constance Mal-
lette, vice-chancellor of finance and administration for
WSSU, said in a statement. “Guided by the 2016-21
Strategic Plan, this document supports the growth of aca-
demic programs and advances the living/learning concept,
which focuses on creating facilities that support high-im-
pact teaching practices and enhanced student learning.”
You can view and learn about the master plan here.
For current WSSU projects available for design submis-
sions and bidding, see “Construction and Design Solicita-
tions” on this web page:
https://www.wssu.edu/administration/finance-and-admin- istration/facilities/design-and-construction/index.html.
Al Windle • 704.945.2176 • awindle@slk-law.com
The North Carolina Construction News — Summer 2018 — 3